(Photo Provided) The Washington County Veterans Service Commission building on Pike Street was renamed in honor of the late Chad Wright, who became Tom Kukulka’s friend after they started working together for the commission in 2012. Kukulka said they helped bring the office into the 21st century.

If you already know the right way to say and spell Tom Kukulka’s last name, you already know what’s on his mind: Veterans. How they’re treated, how they’re helped, how they’re welcomed home.

Kukulka retired from the Washington County Veterans Service Commission, effective Saturday, March 1. He is matter-of-fact and upbeat about it, but some colleagues suspect there may be a couple of emotional moments in the leaving. For the past 12 ½ years, Kukulka has made his job as a county veterans service officer a personal mission.

“He says things like, ‘When I’m gone, you won’t see me for a year,'” CVSO Tom Mullenix said. “We’ll see.”

Kukulka said he looks forward to spending more time with his wife, Carol, who retired in October. He has a woodworking shop and an old house that needs some love and care. He also wants to get back to swimming and have the time to pay more attention to his health.

The Veterans Service Commission covers transportation for out-of-town medical appointments, financial assistance and CVSO work, which most often involves claims work for compensation.

(Photo by Evan Bevins) Washington County Veterans Service Officer Tom Kukulka, shown recently at the office in Marietta, retired Saturday after 12 ½ years with the Washington County Veterans Service Commission.

Kukulka hints at the focus the job demands from everyone in the office in order to actually help veterans get the services and benefits to which they’re entitled.

“Everyone here automatically gains 20 pounds when they start work ,” he said.

Kukula’s co-workers have very similar stories about working with him. For one thing, he is a natural mentor, willing to share his experience, a new employee’s best friend.

“He taught me what I know about this office,” said Financial Assistance Coordinator Melinda Smith. “He made me feel welcome, took me under his wing.”

Office Administrator Michelle Hooper, who started in July, said Kukulka’s “always willing to teach you anything.” His help was daily when she first started. “Let me show you something,” or “Here’s a new form; here’s how you do this.”

“Every single employee within the Veterans Service Office, regardless of their specific role or job title, has gone through a training program with Tom,” said CVSO Todd Farrar in a note he wrote about “Tom K.” Kukulka equipped them with the necessary knowledge, skills and resources to effectively do their assigned tasks, Farrar said.

The newest staffer in the office, Executive Director Darren Shearlock, also got a form of Tom Training.

“I think I’d describe him as a player-coach,” Shearlock said. “He’s been playing a long time, but he’s trying to get you to get the skills and knowledge yourself.”

Kukulka didn’t push any direct advice, Shearlock said. “He helped me without telling me directly, ‘You need to do this.’ Instead, he’d say, ‘Here’s what I’ve seen other people do,’ and then he’d tell you whether that did or didn’t work for them.”

All the informal in-house training is a way Kukulka has kept alive an important personal legacy that started on his first day of work. Chad Wright also started work as a CVSO the same day as Kukulka, Aug. 5, 2012. They became close friends.

“We took it out of the Dark Ages and brought it up to the 21st century,” Kukulka said. “In 2012, we were hand-writing claims. We didn’t have any fancy software like we do today. We were pulling forms off the computer, printing them out and filling them in by hand.”

Wright died in 2020, but as a result of Wright’s vision and input, Kukulka said, the Washington County Commission approved the WCVSO building on Pike Street being formally named and displayed as the Washington County Chad D. Wright Veterans Service Office.

Kukulka’s other legacy is his simple conviction of what’s important.

“People come for help,” he said. “We change their lives. It’s a privilege, honor and a trust to serve the veterans of Washington County.”

“Whatever the discussion is at work,” Hooper said, “Tom will ask, ‘What about the veterans?’ When he says that, he does this gesture where he puts his hand out, the fingers kind of pointed in your direction. ‘How does this help the veterans?”‘

Smith agreed. “Yes, he does do that. He makes this gesture where his hand comes up, his fingers are starting to curve inward and it emphasizes what he’s saying: ‘What about the veterans?”‘

“I’ve seen him stand up for a veteran,” Mullenix said. “Somebody who’s been in combat, who’s been shot at, who has PTSD, Tom will speak up for what they deserve.”

Everyone who works at the office has either served in the military or has military members in their family, Shearlock said.

“Everyone here takes it seriously.”

But Mullenix admitted that when he first arrived just over four years ago, he was somewhat skeptical.

“There was just all this talk about helping,” he said. “I thought it might be for show. You know, we’ve all seen people do that and they may like their jobs, but not like this.”

And now?

“I know what he’s talking about now,” Mullenix said of Kukulka’s enthusiasm in particular. “It really is rewarding to help somebody who needs it.”

But it seems Kukulka has already broken his resolution to disappear for a year after retirement. He’s told Smith to put him on the volunteer driver list for out-of-town transportation.

“If you need somebody, I can do that.”